Day: September 25, 2023

The US is concerned about the situation in Nagorno Karabakh, US Department of State Spokesman Matthew Miller said at a daily briefing today.

“The most important now is that the ceasefire be maintained, that there is no further military action. Secondly, the humanitarian needs of the Nagorno Karabakh people must be addressed. Third, it’s important for Armenia and Azerbaijan to reach a lasting peace agreement,” the Spokesman said.

With respect to the humanitarian situation on the ground, Mathew Miller said “ethnic Armenians should be able to stay in their homes in peace and dignity if they chose so”

“Those who want to leave or return, should be allowed safe passage overseen by an independent neutral third party,” he said.

The Spokesperson stressed that Azerbaijan has the responsibility to protect the civilians and ensure the humane treatment of all, “including those in suspect of being combatants.”

“We do believe there should be an international mission to provide transparency, reassurance and confidence to the residents of Nagorno Karabakh and ensure that their rights are protected consistent with public statements that Azerbaijan has made,” Miller noted.

He said there have been active discussions about that. “We have called for such a mission for some time, and we are working with allies and partners to secure one,” the State Department Spokesman said.

Artsakh authorities are calling for urgent airlifts to evacuate of victims after an explosion at a fuel depot on Monday rocked an already tense Stepanakert.

The Nagorno-Karabakh State Service of Emergency Situations said the explosion took place at a fuel depot near the Stepanakert-Askeran road. The powerful blast resulted in deaths and injuries. The authorities did not specify the number of victims.

Multiple people with burns have been hospitalized.

Artsakh Parliament member Metakse Hakobyan told Armenpress that the gas station where the explosion happened is outside Stepanakert but close to the city.

“A gasoline warehouse exploded. The warehouse was used to distribute fuel to those who wanted to leave Artsakh by cars. Hundreds of people were gathered there when the explosion took place,” Hakobyan said.

The fuel depot was about two kilometers away from the city.  “The explosion was very powerful,” Hakopyan said.

Artsakh’s Human Rights Defender Gegham Stepanyan said hundreds of people have been inured and there are many fatalities.

He warned that Artsakh is unable to provide sufficient medical assistance to the wounded.

“Medical assistance is being provided to those wounded in the Republican Medical Center and the Stepanakert Children’s Hospital in conditions of limited possibilities in terms of treatment and medications, which is insufficient. There is an urgent need to evacuate those wounded by airlift to save their lives,” he said.

This is a developing story.